Still kickin'!

We are alive! We have a severely neglected blog...but we're alive! To say we are busy is an understatement! I swear sometimes we are busier when Ryan is off for the winter then when he is out of town for the highway season! I thought I'd pop in and do a few updates...

Christmas was great! We had some sickies shortly before Christmas, but we got it all out of our system and had a wonderful time!

I had a job change...my job ended 12/31, and I was moved to Pine City...same job title, same pay, same benefits...just a new location and completely different duties! I'm working hard at trying to learn what I'm suppose to be doing, it feels good to challenge myself again!

I started classes through UofM a couple weeks ago...so far I'm holding my own very well, but again, challenging parts of my brain that have lazily sat for the past several years is exhausting! I took my College Algebra exam yesterday and am still holding onto an A! We'll see how it's going in a few weeks...

Ryan (who will be celebrating his big 3-0 in a few days) is now off (as I mentioned before) for the winter...however he's lost at what to do because we have no snow, which means no snowmobiling...let's just say I come home to a very clean house everyday! He's been working on putting some finishing touches on his "truck baby"....boy stuff...boring. He also watches a TON of History Channel and Discovery Channel shows....a TON. He probably knows how to crab fish, fly airplanes, aligator hunt, win storage locker auctions, and pawn old things better than anyone I know. He's getting ready for heading up to his annual safety/mining meetings in a couple weeks...in fact it is the 3 days before we leave to Arizona...(more on that in a bit)

Kaylee (my sista) as most of you know, moved in with us back in November. It's been an introduction to the life of a teenage girl, let me tell ya! We have enjoyed her here though...especially the girls....they adore her. She's been busy with "teenager" stuff....and has a boyfriend...so that takes up a majority of her time. She's a great addition to our family though...she fits right in!

Hannah is wrapping up her first basketball season, she has loved it. There team was at a bit of a disadvantage compared to the rest of the travelling league, just because Mora just started a league this year...others have been playing at least one more year, and they practice at least a couple times a week more...Hannah's team practices twice a week. They've still won a couple games though, and Hannah has learned so much! She also switched from clarinet to flute, she's enjoying flute and has amazed her teacher by how fast she has caught on. She's enjoying school and is doing well in all of her classes! She also just got her first cell phone (what!?) and is learning the rules and responsibilities that come with that! Lord help us!

Brooklyn is an avid reader now (just like myself and her sister) she loves the fact that she can read about anything that's put in front of her! She is also a whiz at math (also like her momma!) and is getting great compliments from her 1st grade teacher. Brooke is a huge animal lover and her new thing is to set up all of her stuffed animals and read them all of her Dr Seuss books...I think they enjoy it ;) Brooke is waiting patiently with her dad for the snow to come so they can head out on an outing together...

Well theres a quick blurb on us and our house! We are making our second trip down to AZ in a few weeks and couldn't be more excited! We are so ready for sun and warmth! And excited to head to San Diego for a couple days and go to the big zoo! I have been waiting for that for YEARS! This year Kaylee is coming too, which means our van will be LOADED with stuff!!! We are so excited!

Dribble....

Fact: Hannah started basketball last week....
Fact: Hannah makes about 50% of the baskets she shoots....
Fact: Hannah does NOT do defense....
Fact: Hannah likes killers....
Fact: Hannah is one strange child for liking killers....just wait girl
Fact: I put mulitiple dots after sentences in every post....check, I dare you. Apparently it's my thang.

In a week and a half Hannah will play her very first bball game with her 5th grade team. Hannah stands about 5 feet from her teammates to block a play...(see...dots) I think she thinks she will hurt their feelings if she actually blocks their ball...(again) she doesn't want to be rude. That's what we are working on this weekend. Being rude....wish us luck!

Rockin' bands.

This day comes once a month for Hannah. It's her day to go to visit Mr. Orthodontia and get her wires tightened and cut. Update her bands to a newer, cooler color (usually to coordinate with something coming up soon in her life). Make sure she's brushing her teeth well and getting all the "sugar bugs", as Brooklyn calls them, off those pearly whites. Braces were a no brainer for Hannah. The first time she went to the dentist, before any of those little baby teeth had even fallen out yet, he showed us her x-ray....you could see all the "adult" teeth crammed up in her tiny mouth. Unfortunately Brooke will have the same problem... our paychecks might as well be deposited into Mr. Orthodontia's bank account. Thank God, Ryan and I both have good insurance, it only pays a percentage...but it's a help! Ryan knew there would be no question in us providing the girls with braces, he's dealt with this problem, and knew he didn't want the girls to. They both are actually excited about them...aunt Kaylee had them, so they think it's the "cool" thing to do. Curious what color Hannah picked?

"Cheese!"

It's orange in case you can't see my picture a la iPhone. Duh. It's almost Halloween...what other color would she pick? Besides black...and that's a little out of her "bright" personality.

Small things...

It's the small things sometimes that matter in your day! I've been in a rut lately. I know what I am doing is not what I want to do forever. What I'd really like to do is stay home, have a garden, do fun stuff all day....for some reason that just doesn't pay the bills. Bummer. I keep trying to talk Ryan into paying me stay home.... when the accountant in me crunches the numbers, I realize that won't pay the bills either...ugh. Oh well.
I applied and got accepted to U of M, I even got a little scholarship! Woo! This will be in addition to my work (cuz again...schooling doesn't pay the bills either! Boo!) I've been wanting to finish up my degree the past couple years...now I will be working towards two!
Back to the title....as most of my readers (all 3 of them, 1 being my stud man hubby) know said 'stud man hubby' is out of town all week for most of the year for work. It's been this way for years, since Brooke was a baby. We've been brainstorming ways to end this 'out of town' nonsense...but for now, it's how we pay our bills....and buy our toys. By this time in the year though, you better believe I'm getting burnt out! Burnt out of being alone and in charge of EVERYTHING! But it's these little things that get me through my day...

This is a pic Ryan sent me, just to say Hi!....

This one he was complaining about the John Deere peice of junk he has to run...he's a Caterpillar man through and through...

I love him, he's so darn cute. My hope is someday he can have a job doing this job (because he loves it, and how many people can say that!?) close to home so he can be with us every night! I love these pics because it gives me a view into his world. I don't get to see what he sees everyday, so it's fun to see what he's up to!
We've been trying to cram things into our weekends lately, we're trying to soak up all this wonderful fall weather! I'll be back to share some pictures of what we've been up to....I promise.

Are you real?

So lately everytime the TV is on Brooke asks "is this real?"

Like the news will be on....Brooke: is this real? Me: Yep, real life stuff. Brooke: Really real? Me: Totally real. Brooke: Ok

Or House hunters....Brooke" is this real? Me: Yep, they are really going to buy outrageously expensive "vacation homes" because apparently everyone can afford to buy 550,000 homes in Belize to vacation to twice a year.

Okay, maybe I didn't say that...maybe I did. Probably under my breath though.

As I flip through the TV tonight, after the house is picked up, clothes in the dryer, dishes in the dishwasher (thank GOODNESS for the dishwasher). I digress, as I am flipping through the TV guide deciding if I should watch mindless TV or just go to bed I think...no wonder why she's confused! All this reality tv vs "semi-reality" tv vs sitcoms....poor girl has no idea what is real or not!

Myself, I enjoy a little reality TV. (a little). But I think how much the tv channels have changed since I was younger. Who would have thought people would watch shows like: Basketball Wives, Swamp People, Ice Road Truckers....weird. We are weirdly entertained by these things aren't we?

So then I think....why couldn't I have thought of shows like these!? I mean, I'm not sure what that would be...and I'm about the least creative person ever....but come on! 18 Kids and Counting...I totally could  have had 18 kids....or not. Not anymore anyways!

Okay...so that's what was on my mind tonight.

On a good note we get to meet the girls teachers tomorrow. They are both very excited...which is good! Hannah had a NIGHTMARE teacher last year...so it's a huge relief to know that her teacher this year is nice, kid friendly, and organized! Don't even ask what happened last year. Brooklyn's teacher was wonderful last year...Brooke loved her and she understood Brooke's quirky little ways. I was worried her teacher this year wouldn't match up...but I have heard nothing but wonderful things about her, so that eases my mind!

This year I will have two full time students! What happened to my babies?

Maybe I can start a show about mom's who go crazy when their kids grow up...I'm almost there. Two years and Hannah will be in the "high school"....lock me up. Lock her up? Someones gonna be locked up!

Summers end girls day!

Yesterday I took a vacation day. It was great. Ryan, of course, is out of town and has to work today as well. (He's going on 70 hours this week so far!) So I decided I'd take the girls school clothes shopping while he was working (that way he wouldn't have to spend his one day off running around from store to store with a bunch of girls). See how nice I am?

So we got up, got ready, and headed out to Riverdale. Hannah spotted a Justice there last weekend and just knew that was where she wanted to go shopping. School clothes shopping gets a lot more difficult when you have two girls with their own individual styles.

We shopped til we dropped (around 3pm for lunch) and then headed to do our grocery shopping and get that done while we were out.

Then we came home and tried on all the clothes in outfits...according to order they will be worn. Please someone just slow the aging of my children down! They are just such little adults now!

Today I am supposed to be sanding the stairs. So far I've managed to bring the sander in. Baby steps. I'm hoping to get a few things off of our "to do" list so that Ryan and I can have next weekend completely free! Woo-hoo!

Don't Worry!

I didn't die in a tragic earthquake accident

Admit it...this is funny.

I live in Minnesota...they only way I'm gonna die here is by all the friendly mosquitoes!

I know all three of you who follow me are gonna be so relieved that I am blogging again.... I can't really give any excuses...obviously everyone is busy. I just haven't felt like anything was truely "blog-worthy". Therefore I spare you. Don't you see how much I love you? (all three of you).

Nothing too big happening in the Shaw home. Ryan's been working a tooshy-load of hours (usually 12-13 a day)....which means nice pay, tired Ryan. My job hasn't changed, except for I have less money now. My program was cut $35,000 for 2012....guess that means it's time to get creative!

The girls have been busy, busy, busy! They spend 2 days a week with my sister and 3 days a week a daycare. Hannah's at the age now where she thinks 10 is waaaay too old for daycare....the funny thing is that when we were that age we were! Times have changed! They are all ready and EXTREMELY excited for school to start in a little over a week. They are rounding out the summer with a 5 day camping trip with Grandma (which means date nights for Ryan and I!)

I've been checking into finishing my degree....I'm leaning towards U of M Crookston...they have the program I want online, which will help big time with convenience! We'll see how far I get before I talk myself out of it...I seem good at that!

Well there's a quick-sy update.  See ya in another 2 months.